Vehicle-wheel



(No Model.)

o. LOOK. VEHICLE WHEEL.

Patented July 17, 1888.

N. Pmms Pvuwmrcgmphef. wmmgmn. D C.

UNITEDN STATES PATENT EETCE.

OBED LOOK, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 281,279, dated July 17, 1883.

Application filed May 9, 1883. (No model.) Y

To all. whom it may concern.-

Be it known tha-t1, OBED Loon, a citizenof the United States, and a resident of Bridgeport, in the county of Faireld and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wheels for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a metallic hub and box, and is an improvement on the device for which Letters Patent were granted to me August 12, 1873, andnumberedlilfl. Said device yconsisted of a hubhavinga circular opening, through the center, with eccentric recesses to the same on opposite ends, and thebox provided with an eccentric re-enforce and an adjustable` eccentric thimble, the object being to true the wheel and replace a worn and defective axle-box without disturbing the spokes or otherwise injuring the wheel.

My; present invention consists in splitting the adj ustable eccentricthiinble to enable it to close and firmly grip the axle-box when the said thimble is forced into the eccentric recess of the hub.

It further consists in forming semicircular oil-chambers in the upper and lower half of the inner circumference of the axle-box to intercept the ilow of oil and cause the same to be brought in contact with the axle.

It further consists of askeleton hub of a light metallic casting, the band and body of same of one piece, the interior of the, hub cored out of the same contour or forni as the exterior, thus making a light, Strong, and elastic hub, the front and bac-lr sections of the same joined and held together by the inortise-ties only, thereby enabling the two sections to be slightly sprung together at the center of the hub and exerta pressure on the spokes, as will be more fully set fort-h in the following specification.

Referring to the drawings, Figure I represents a sectional view of thehub, axle-box, and axle through the dotted line 1 of Fig. II. Fig. II is a sectional viewof the hub, axle-box, and axle through the dotted line 2 of Fig. I. Fig. III represents asectional view, in perspective, of the axle-box. Fig. IV is a sectional view, in perspective, of the opposite half ofthe axle box. Fig. V represents a view of the eccentric thimble. Fig. VI represents a view ofthe axlebox, thimble, axle, and nuts.

Its construction and op eration are as follows:

A. is the hub; B, the axlebox; C, its re-enforce; D, adjustable eccentric thimble; E, axle; a, oil-chambers; Z), nut to secure axle-box; c, axle-nut; d, eccentric recesses in the hub; e, openingin thinible; f, flange of hub; g, mortise-ties; l1, mortise.

The eccentric recesses d d of the hub (see Fig. I) are formed around the openingto admit the eccentric thimble D and eccentric re-enforce C of the axle-box, said recesses being eccentric tothe center of the hub. The threaded nut I), iitting a corresponding thread on the axle-box, serves to hold the thimble D and reenforce O of the box rmly against the eccentric recesses of the hub. The thimble D and re-enforce C are placed in such relation to their respective seats in the hub that the box when the Wheel is first constructed willbesituated as near the center of the hub as possible; but after the wheel has been in use for some time it may require truing up, which is done by simply loosening the nut b and turning the thimble D and axle-box B, with re-enforce O, sufficient to properly true the wheel. rIhe nut b is then screwed up, bringing the thimble and re-enforce tirlnly to their respectii-*e seats in the hub. The pressure of the thimblc D against the eccentric recess d of the hub will close the opening e ofthe thimble suilicient to iirnily grip the axle-box. Thus the hub and axle-box are connected more firmly together than would be the case if the thimble were solid.

` In Fig. I the highest point of the rc-enforce C and of the thilnble D are exactly opposite each other, thus representing the full extent of throw that could be obtained.

As represented by Fig. I, the entire hub, including baud m, is castin one piece, preferably of malleableiron, the interior cored out, forming the chambers a a, the contour of the inte rior conforming nearly to the shape of the exterior, thus making a skeleton hub light and strong, and, being made of malleable iron, it is capable, when bruised or bent by accident, of being readily restored to its former shape. rlhe two sections Z l of the hub are joined together by the niortisc g only, thus permitting the lower part of the flanges ff', `below the ties g, to spring in, when the nut l) is screwed up, and press iirinlyagainst the spokes i in the mortise h.. (See Fig. II.) The spokes being driven therein are held bythe iianges fj" and IOO the support they receive between the ties g. The ends j of the spokes do not bottom, the said ends being unsupported in the hub, thus enabling the spokes to accommodate themselves to 5 the expansion and contraction of thewheel and prevent their springing out of shape,which has proved a serious objection to metallic hubs.

The oil-reservoirs a (see Figs. III and IV) consist of a series of two or more semicircular 1o grooves formed on the inner circumference of the axle-box. rIhe grooves of the upper and lower half, instead of meeting each other, are

set by, leaving the solid partition or bridge K between them. This operates to prevent the r 5 oil remaining constantly inthe groove @which it would do if the same were continuous; or, in other words, an unbroken groove extending entirely around the inner circumference of the axle-box, for While the wheel was revolving 2o the tendency of the oil would be to remain in the groove, and especially would this be the casein a wheel revolving very rapidly7 and when the wheel was stationary the oil would follow around the groove and find its level at 2 5 the bottom or lowestpoint, andA consequently but little would reach the axle 5 but by means of the broken groove, as shown, the flow of oil is broken and continually brought in contact with the axle.

3o Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. As an improvement in wheels for vehicles, the combination of the skeleton metallic hub 3 5 A, having eccentric recesses d andd, and axlebox B, having eccentric 11e-enforce C cast thered on, and the split eccentric thimble D`adapted to close when forced into the eccentric recess of the hub by the action of the nut I and firmly grip the axle-box, as described and set forth. 4o

2. The skeleton hub A, as shown, having eccentric recesses d and d, the two sectionsl Zof said hub joined and held together by the inortise-ties g, the said hub thus adapted to be compressed by means of the nut b of the axle-box, 45 and by such action grip and hold the spokesi between the flanges ff, said spokes having their ends j, unsupported, and adapted thereby to give slightly in the mortise, and thus provide the proper elasticity to the wheel, 5o substantially as set forth.

3. The axle-box B, having eccentric re-enforce G, and provided with the semicircular oilchambers a, and adapted by the arrangement of thev said chambers, as shown, to intercept 55 the flow of oil and cause the same to be brought directly in contact with the axle, substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed 6o my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Signed at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, this 30th day of April, A. l). 1883.

OBED LOOK.

Witnesses:

RUDOLPH KORT, WILLIAM B. Coox. 

